Contents

Introduction

Lady Brigit inghean ui Dhomhnaill found the SCA in the fall of 1989. Her first event was Quest for Wit and Wisdom in May of 1990. She became a member of House Bloodguard but left in 1991 to focus on participating with her local Barony.

Persona

Brigit inghean ui Dhomhnaill was born in Ireland in the year 921 AD. Her mother, Gormlaith mac Broin, fell in love with a Norseman from Dublin named Thorbrandr Shortaxe. They were married in secret by Abbot Flannacán ua Riacáin at St Brigid's Abbey in Kildare. Shortly thereafter Thorbrandr left Dublin for Jorvik in the service of Sitric Cáech, King of Dublin and Northumbria. After he left, Gormlaith's father arranged a marriage for her to Brann mac Dhomhnaill, son of Domhnaill mac Áeda Muindeirg, chief of Clan Dhomhnaill and one time King of the Southern Ui Neill. Shortly thereafter, Gormlaith discovered she was with child. When the child was born, Gormlaith named her for St. Brigid and the Goddess Brigit.

Brigit grew up as the daughter of Brann. Fortunately her looks and stature followed her mother's family so her blonde hair and unusual strength were not questioned. She did come to know her birth father, Thorbrandr. Her mother would meet with him in secret when he would return to Dublin every few years. Thorbrandr would call her Sunnbjorn, which means sun-bear, for her blonde hair and strength. He taught her how to fight with sword, shield, spear, and axe, how to survive in the wild, and how to sail.

Upon her coming of age Brann mac Dhomhnaill wanted to arrange a marriage for Brigit to the son of a neighboring clan. Gormlaith got word to Thorbrandr who arranged passage for Brigit out of Ireland. Brigit dressed as a man, took the name Sunnbjorn Thorbrandrsson and traveled with her father to Jorvik. She was also called Sunnbjorn skegglauss, which means beardless.

During her years in Jorvik, she learned many skills including leatherworking, armor construction and repair, and chainmail manufacture and repair. When Thorbrandr died Brigit joined a mercenary band with which she traveled throughout the British Isles. They worked in several countries on the European continent and travelled far both east and west, from Iceland to Byzantium. After many years she returned to Ireland. She learned that Brann mac Dhomhnaill had passed away during her absence, and her mother had joined St. Brigid's Abbey at Kildare. Her mother welcomed her warmly and blessed her for her strength and freedom.